A Divergent Trailing Edge (DTE) device can increase lift over drag (LID) of a wing. The DTE may be fixed to an aft lower surface of a wing. However, a fixed DTE creates a load distribution that can have a significant collateral impact of requiring a stronger, heavier wing.
A DTE may instead be hinged to an aft lower surface of a wing. A hinged DTE may be retracted to a stowed position, and it may be scheduled to extend during the less heavily loaded phases of flight, thus minimizing the collateral structural weight.
A hinged DTE may be extended and retracted by an actuator and drive linkage. The actuator and linkage carry air loads and, therefore, are sized accordingly. If the actuator fails during flight, free surface flutter of the hinged DTE can occur. If the actuator and linkage are too large to fit within the airfoil, they are covered by an external fairing, which adds complexity, weight, and drag.